Children’s nationalistic/patriotic poems of your nation

[Whiteruthenian]

Does anybody remember yet such poems he/she was made to learn by heart at school? They are sincere by their simplicity and are just great.

Just to give a (Polish) example:

The Polish child’s catechism
by Władysław Bełza

- Kto ty jesteś? Who are you?
- Polak mały. Little Pole.

- Jaki znak twoj? What is your sign?
- Orzel biały. The White Eagle.

- Gdzie ty mieszkasz? Where do you live?
- Między swemi. Among our people.

- W jakim kraju? In what land?
- Polskiej ziemi. In the Polish land.

- Czem ta ziemia? What this land is?
- Mą ojczyzną. My fatherland.

- Czem zdobyta? With what was it won back?
- Krwią i blizną. With blood and scars.

- Czy ją kochasz? Do you love it?
- Kocham szczerze. I love it sincerely.

- A w co wierzysz? And what do you believe in?
- W Polskę wierze. I believe in Poland.

- Coś ty dla niej? Who are you for it?
- Wdzięczne dziecię. Grateful child.

- Coś jej winien? What must you do for it?
- Oddać życie. To sacrifice my life.

[Whiteruthenian]

Another one I like.

OLIVTSI

Podaruvala meni mama kolyorovi olivtsi,
A ya sydzhu sobi y malyuyu riznobarvni praportsi:
Praporets' chervono-chornyy, sinyo-zhovtyy praporets',
Bo Radyans'komu Soyuzu vzhe nareshti ye kinets'.

Oholosyly holodovku vchora my u dydsadku.
Khay portret vozhdya znimayut', shcho prybytyy u kutku.
Khay portret Bandery vcheplyat', shcho za volyu voyuvav,
Shcho za vil'nu Ukrainu svoyu holovu poklav.

A mama herb namalyuvala, i serp, i molot uhori
I "Yednaytes'", - napysala, - "Vsikh krayin proletari".
A ya uzyav i vse zakreslyv, i tryzub namalyuvav,
I "Slava vil'niy Ukrayini!" - hordo mami ya skazav.

Translation:

PENCILS

The mother has given me coloured pencils,
And I’m sitting by myself and drawing little colored flags:
A red and black*, a blue and yellow little flag,
Because the Soviet Union is already over.

We yesterday declared a hunger-strike in the kindergarten,
Let them remove the chief’s portrait, which is nailed down in the corner,
Let them hang Bandera’s portrait, who fought for freedom,
Who for independent Ukraine sacrificed his life.

And the mother drew a coat of arms and a sickle and a hammer above,
And “Unite”, she wrote “proletarians of all countries”.
And I crossed out everything and drew a trident**,
And “Glory to the independent Ukraine!” I said to the mother proudly.

* Flag of the Organisation of Ukrainian Nationalists
** The Ukrainian coat of arms

[Whiteruthenian]

Today my former teacher phoned me and asked who wrote this poem and whether I could make its copy for her. She taught recitation, and said she remembered I had recited it once. Yep! Lovely poem. She loves it, I love it, everybody loves it.

The poem was written between the two world wars in Western Belarus as far as I know. I found it in a school textbook.

Z rodnych piesień
by Andrej Miluć

Biełarusam ja radziŭsia,
Biełarusam budu žyć,
Biełaruskuju ziamielku
Budu ščyra ja lubić,

Bo radzimaja staronka
Nad usio mnie pryhažej,
Biełaruskaja havorka
Nad usio mnie daražej.

Słavu rodnuju i volu
Ja nikomu nie pradam,
Za narod svoj biełaruski
Ja žyćcio svajo addam.

Chaj zahinie naša hora,
Ździek, paharda i prymus,
Chaj žyvie dla słavy viečnaj
Kraj naš rodny - Biełaruś!

For general understanding:

From native songs

As a Belarusian I was born,
As a Belarusian I shall live,
The Belarusian land [diminutive]
I’ll sincerely love,

Because the native country
Is for me the most beautiful ever,
The Belarusian speech
Is for me the dearest ever,

The native glory and freedom
I shall not sell to anybody,
For my Belarusian people
I’ll sacrifice my life,

Perish our fatality,
Mockery, scorn and oppression,
Live for the eternal glory
Our native land – Belarus.